Henry McCoy / Beast
''Beast 'Beast ''Henry ' Hank' McCoy / Beast is a member of The X Men '''and former '''Secretary Of Mutant Affairs. '''After giving up on his position as a politician, he joined ''Xavier's School For Gifted Youngsters as a teacher. Biography 'Early Life' Henry Philip " Hank" McCoy was born in Dundee, Illinois to Norton and Edna McCoy, both scientists in 1943. His father worked as an employee at a nuclear reactor and was exposed to a high dose of radiation, apparently before Hank's birth, which may have caused his mutation. Hank was born with prehensile feet, similar to those of a monkey or gorilla and was shunned away by his peers because of his mutation from being a small child to high school where Hank grew up as an outcast and dedicated himself to physics, genetics and advanced science classes. Part of his mutation was also the fact that he had a high intellect and because of his intelligence, he managed to graduate Harvard at the age of 15 in 1958. He agreed to work for the C.I.A as a weapon designer, as he would be the first person who would develop the SR-71 concept ( future X-Jet or Blackbird). 'Working for the C.I.A' ( X-Men: First Class) After working with the organization for almost 5 years, The Man In Black introduces Hank to Charles Xavier who immediately recognizes Hank to be a mutant and blows his secret as he reveals The Man In Black what he didn't knew about him all along accidentaly. Hank also meets Erik Lehnsherr, special agent Moira MacTaggert and Raven Darkholme, whom he immediately develops a romantic relationship with as they both share the same issues regarding their appearance as mutants in human society. After Charles convinces Erik to remain with the newly-made division, The Man In Black approves that Hank can show Charles the 'brainwave amplifier' known as the first Cerebro which was also developed by Hank himself. After locating and recruiting more mutants for the division, Hank would still remain the 'awkward' one as he would refuse to show his mutation when the others did and picked up codenames. 'The Hellfire Club' When Charles, Erik and Moira agreed to travel to the USSR with the C.I.A's permission and capture Shaw ( only proven that Shaw sent his associate, Emma Frost in his place), the C.I.A department came under attack by the other members of The Hellfire Club, including Azazel, Riptide, and its leader, Sebastian Shaw ( Black King). They wanted to recruit the division members as Hank tought about himself and refused to join and Angel Salvadore was the only one who agreed on going with The Hellfire Club. However, without letting it go, Armando Munoz (Darwin) attempted to save Angel only to die by Shaw's hands. After arriving, Charles thinks of sending the members at their respective homes and Erik reminds them of avenging their fallen friend. Hank says that even if they still want to train and track down The Hellfire Club members, they don't have their own headquarters and no place to go. Hearing that, Charles brings the members of the division to his mansion. 'Arrival at the X-Mansion' Though reserved as always, Hank decided to learn how to control his pre-existent "animal" nature as he trained with Charles and would oftenly be provoked by Alex Summers to get more aggresive. He would talk in private with Raven about their mutations as he promised to develop a 'cure' for their physical appearance though she would later change her mind when Erik approached her. He would get angry because of Raven's decision and also he would have second toughts about taking the cure or not as he already started to control himself by using his enhanced agility and coordonation. In the end, he decided to take the cure. ''"To be, or not to be...a Beast" After taking the cure, Hank shortly realized though too late that the so-called "cure" did not eliminate his existent mutation but actually amplified it and in a mad rage, he evaded from the Manor leaving behind a chest containing G-Force suits when taking the SR-71 and its coordinates. After the division reaches the hangar where the SR-71 is located, they re-meet Hank again who is now covered with blue, intense fur and had a leonine-like physiology. After Erik unintentionally taunts Hank, he grabs him by the throat and tells him to not mock him again. 'The Cuban Missile Crisis' Hank is piloting the SR-71 without the C.I.A's official permission and takes it where a battle between the USSR and U.S. is about to start only to find Shaw and prevent the conflict. However, after doing everything he could, Riptide crashes the SR-71 on a nearby beach where Shaw's submarine is also thrown away. The Hellfire Club members are ordered to keep the other mutants away from the submarine in spite of Erik who fights his way through and Hank ( taking the alias " Beast"), is fighting against Azazel with Havok. After an extended fight with Azazel, Mystique comes in taking Shaw's form and orders Azazel to fall back, only to be taken by surprise as Beast knocks him out. With Erik killing Shaw, he declares war on humankind as both the U.S. and Soviet submarines are targeting the mutants now and Erik deflects their missiles by sending them back. Erik is interrupted by Charles who grabs him and fights him on the beach as he loses control of the missiles and Hank is forcefully pushed away by Erik to not interfere. When Moira declares Erik a traitor, she tries to shoot him as he deflects the bullets and one of them hits Charles in the spine, leaving him paralysed from the waist down. Erik tries to kill Moira afterwards but then changes his minds and manages to recruit Shaw's former Hellfire Club in building The Brotherhood Of Mutants. Mystique also joins him much to Hank's disapproval and sadness. After Erik leaves with his new allies, Hank and the others approach Charles and they help him. Four weeks later, Hank returned to finish all his studies in spite of his appearance now and shortly after Charles put a base to his new school, Hank became one of the first X Men ever and one of Charles' first students. 'Recruiting a Second Class' Many years after The Cuban Missile Crisis, Hank decided to remain at Charles' institute and became a close friend as they would both head on recruiting mutants for their school. Although he would not head and recruit personally because of his physical mutation, he would train mutants such as Ororo Monroe, Pietro Maximoff, Jonothon Starsmore, Scott Summers and Jean Grey to become future X Men. Shortly before society was more aware about mutants' existence, Hank decided to become involved in politics after developing a new serum which gave him a temporary human appearance and left the mansion after the 'second class' graduated. 'The Mutant Registration Act''' After training recruits and being an X Man for over 20 years, Hank became involved in politics while developing a serum which would give him his human appearance back for a short time and whenever he reverted back to his blue fur state, his physiology would become more and more human-like. One of his firsts and ever-lasting political rivals was Robert Kelly and vicepresident Henry Peter Guyrich as the former fought against mutants and mutant rights for almost all his life. Hank was not alone in politics as Charles and Jean Grey supported him for many years to follow.